Computer hardware and computer software programs have revolutionized the way we work, shop, and do business. In general, computers have increased our productivity by providing a mechanism that allows us to do more in less time. For example, many labor and time intensive tasks of the past, such as ledge bookkeeping and mathematical problem-solving are now performed in a number of minutes using a variety of accounting and statistical computer programs. In addition, computers have also enhanced the productivity of both architects and engineering designers. Today, few architecture schematics are created at a drafting table with pencils, drafting paper, and rulers. Instead, three-dimensional architecture and landscape designs are typically conceptualized and modeled through the use of computer software programs.
For example, various types of architecture design programs, such as 3D Studio VIZ™, which is commercially available from Autodesk, Inc., can be used to perform visual rendering application functions, such as the modeling and rendering of 3D objects. Examples of how a design program may be used to generate and render different objects is described in detail in patent application Ser. No. 09/286,133, filed Apr. 1, 1999, entitled TRANSLATING OBJECTS BETWEEN SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS WHICH EMPLOY DIFFERENT DATA FORMATS and in patent application Ser. No. 09/240,070, filed Jan. 29, 1999, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE SPACING OF OBJECTS, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Additionally, a detailed description as to the use of 3D Studio VIZ™ is provided in the “3D Studio VIZ™ R2” User's Guide available through Autodesk, Inc.
Design programs provide a mechanism that allows users to conceptualize and generate design layouts. By simulating the layout of a particular design, a user can quickly visualize how a particular object or combination of objects will look. In many cases, by simulating a design layout, a significant cost reduction may be realized as mistakes can be identified and corrected prior to the construction or manufacture of a particular design.
To aid the users, certain design programs include a pool of predefined “content” that can be included within a design layout (“scene”). As used herein, the term content is broadly defined so as to include a graphical description of any type of object or object attribute that may be included within a design layout.
For example, a predefined pool of content may include but is not limited to such objects as light fixtures, doors, chairs, walls, plants and any other object types that may be needed to generate a particular scene. In addition, the predefined pool of content may also include a variety of object attributes that may be applied to the different objects that are included with a scene. For example, the predefined pool of content may include a variety of textures, patterns, colors or bump maps that may be applied to the different objects that are contained within a scene. By substituting the different objects and object attributes within a scene, a user can determine what the type of objects and the type of object attributes that are most appealing for a particular project.
For example, a design program may include a pool of “light” objects that depict several types of light fixtures from several different manufactures. By comparing how the different light combinations look within the design layout, the user can conveniently determine which light fixtures should be purchased for the particular project.
In a similar manner, a design program may include a pool of “chair” objects that depict several different types of chairs that are produced by different manufactures. Again, by comparing the different chair objects within a scene, the user can identify which chairs are most appropriate for the particular project. Further, by applying different attributes to the different chair objects (i.e. different fabric materials, colors and textures) the user can conveniently determine which attributes are most appealing for each of the different objects.
By including a pool of predefined content (i.e. predefined objects and object attributes) within a design program, a user is provided with a mechanism that will allow them to visually compare and contrast the different products that may be of interest to them for their particular project. Additionally, including a pool of predefined objects provides a marketing tool that allows a manufacturer to promote their product as users of the design program can visually picture how the manufacturer's products would look within their particular project.
To provide users with a pool of predefined content, many design programs include one or more CD-ROMs or floppy disks (“transport media”) that contain a static pool of predefined content that may be included within a scene. However, a drawback with providing users with a static pool of predefined content is that manufacturers are continually generating new content that users of a design program may want to include within their scenes. For example, manufactures are constantly developing new products such as furniture, lighting fixtures, flooring material, and appliances that a user may wish to include within a scene. However, because the user is limited to the static pool of predefined content that is included on the transport media, users are not able to take advantage of the new products that are constantly being created.
One method of trying to provide users with the most recent available content is by continually supplying the users with new transport media that includes updated pools of predefined content. For example, as new products are developed, content representing the new products can be stored on transport media and shipped to the users of the design program. However, a drawback with this solution is that a significant amount of resources will be required to continually provide the users with new transport media. These additional resources will induce extra costs that will need to be incurred by either the producer of the design program or the end users.
In addition, because the act of (1) creating the content that represents the manufactures product; (2) storing the content on the transport media; and (3) shipping the transport media to the individual users typically takes a significant amount of time, users will generally experience a long delay between the time a manufacture creates a new product and the time that the predefined content representing that new product will be available for use within a design layout.
Another drawback with the typical method of providing users with predefined content is that the user has no idea what the actual object is going to look like until it is actually brought into the design layout. For example, a typical transport media may contain a pool of predefined chair objects that may be integrated into a design layout. In general, the pool of predefined chair objects will consist of a group of files having a particular format that can be used to graphically define the chair objects. For example, the transport media may contain the following group files: char001.MAX; char002.MAX; char003.MAX; char004.MAX; char005.MAX; char006.MAX; char007.MAX; char008.MAX; char009.MAX. However, a drawback with this conventional method of providing content is that the list of files provide little information as to what each chair object will actually look like when inserted into a design layout. Thus, to determine what a particular chair object will look like, the user is forced to download its corresponding file into the design program and to integrate the object into the design layout.
Based on the foregoing, it is highly desirable to provide a mechanism that can reduce the amount of resources and cost that is typically required in providing users with access to predefined content that is based on newly manufactured products.
It is also desirable to provide a mechanism that can reduce the amount of time that typically occurs between when a new product is developed by a manufacturer and when predefined content representing the new product becomes available to users of a design program.
It is further desirable to provide a mechanism that can provide a user with a clearer description of what an object looks like without having to actually integrate the object into their design layout.